The First Ten Years: A Review of the Best Tech

The period from 1999 to 2009 saw many innovations and iterations of consumer electronics technology. Some of these were truly revolutionary; others simply controversial that received a lot of tongue time. Most importantly, these new devices and formats changed the scenery forever.

10. 7.1 Surround: The first major change since digital surround took stride in 1998, 7.1 audio was embraced by nearly every major manufacturer. Placing a pair of speakers in the rear of the room to augment the (now) side surrounds, this format was supported by Dolby EX and DTS-ES. Although not as widely accepted by movie studios, hardware companies did a great job imitating native 7.1 from 5.1 sources. Recognizing the benefits of the format, it is now standard on Blu-Ray.

9. DVI: A surprise entry, DVI gets a nod of respect as the digital connection icebreaker to the average consumer, paving the way for the now-ubiquitous HDMI. DVI does many of the things that HDMI does, excluding audio. Significantly, older DVI spec is still current today, and is found on many PCs and laptops.

8. Blu-Ray: Blu-Ray is still toward the bottom, due to the fact that consumers have not embraced the format to the degree that DVD has. Offering lossless audio and 1080p video, Blu-Ray, properly authored, offers six times the data resolution and far superior audio to its DVD sibling.

7. Xbox 360: Microsoft's successor to 2001's Xbox, the Xbox 360, despite its rampant hardware issues, changed the landscape for the gaming industry. The processing power and studio influence, combined with the relative ease for developers to program, have all but buried the PC game market, and placed once-dominant Sony in a decided back-seat position. The Xbox 360 has the dominant gaming franchise in Halo, and is the leader in online gaming. Xbox Live offers a rich multiplayer experience, so much so that studios place enormous significance on that portion, and for many gamers, is the purchase decision-maker.

6. DLP: Texas Instrument's digital light processing display format brought consumers out of the single-chip LCD display fog, once fraught with dead pixels and bad blacks. Using a mirror chip roughly the size of a slide, DLP changed the game for front projection, all but killing CRT in
rear projection, and allowed manufacturers to fully embrace digital displays in its entirety.

5. Automatic room correction: Although consumers are now used to this feature, automatic room calibration on today's receivers allow potentially better results in terms of speaker level settings and distance. A new feature introduced was the presence of EQ settings, which listened to the individual speakers and their interaction with the room. Although typically a stopgap for actual acoustic treatment and system calibration, versions such as Audyssey, Yamaha's YPAO, and Pioneer's MCACC have made huge differences in many a system.

4. HDMI: This entry sits in the middle of the pack, due its non-essential nature and inconsistent reliability. Required by formats such as Blu-Ray, HDMI has experienced ten revisions since its debut in Fall 2003. Favored by Hollywood studios for its copy protection capabilities, HDMI is, for the foreseeable future, the digital A/V connection of choice by the industry.

3. Internet retailers: Although not a format nor technology, the internet has inexorably changed the way electronics are purchased. Consumers are spending over twice as much online overall as in 1999, with smaller retailers especially feeling the pricing pinch. Due to the widespread acceptance on the internet as a purchasing outlet, many consumers are focusing less on brands offered and more on price. In the consumer electronics realm, online retailers have been allowed to spring up, due to easier distribution and lack of need for a physical storefront. As a result, competition has increased overall in the marketplace, with brick and mortar retailers taking a service-provider approach (focusing less on hardware sales as in years' past) while keeping price competition local.

2. Flat panel displays: Replacing tube sets entirely, flat panel displays of all sizes now adorn the walls of all income brackets. Due to incredibly aggressive pricing and efficient manufacturing, flat panels now dominate the display market in size/price ratios that would have been
laughable in the CRT age. With emerging technology such as OLED (organic light-emitting diode), displays are poised to go even thinner and more efficient.

1. Apple's iPod: The clear winner, the iPod not only changed the way people listen to music, but fundamentally altered the way they acquire it. The iPod is one of the few pieces of technology that changed the industry that provides the content for the device. The music industry has taken notice (as have artists) by providing content online at Apple's iTunes Music Store, and with certain artists only distributing digitally. The iPod over time has gotten smaller, increased capacity, and pioneered the Click Wheel, an interface that many now see as the standard for non-touchscreen applications.

Some will agree and others disagree on this list. One thing that is certain is that the influence and consumer feedback on these technologies was witnessed firsthand by yours truly, and based on those observations, this list is in good stead.

HDMI 1.4 Introduces Features, More Confusion

Despite HDMI's gradual dominance as the digital interface of choice in the consumer electronics industry, the format has undergone many revisions in its short life. In mid-2009, grumblings of a new version, HDMI 1.4, were felt by consumers and manufacturers,many none too willing to overhaul their processes and installations to consider another (possibly mandatory) revision. The thrust is not whether the revision makes sense, the question is timing and relevance in an already-tough marketplace.

Designed to support 100mbps of data transfer between components, offer 3D support, and 4k resolution (think your 1080p set is futureproof?), HDMI 1.4 is ushering in excitement among tech heads and resentment from those thinking that their system is now facing near-obsolescence. Although the idea is smart to have one cable (try) to do everything, existing issues that installers have with cables falling out, insertion loss, and odd termination issues for custom runs run the risk of being expounded by making the cable do even more. As discussed in HDMI: More Than Meets the Eye Pattern, HDMI already is tasked with an enormous job, carrying huge amounts of high resolution audio and video. As it stands, long runs of this cabling are fraught with issues and require increasingly thick and unwieldy cables to prevent image and sound drops. Another issue (and it's not uncommon in the consumer electronics industry), is that this new "standard" is announced way in advance of any manufacturer thinking about introducing products that support it. This has a chilling effect on consumer spending, thinking that their new Blu-Ray player or 1080p TV will be immediately behind the curve after HDMI 1.4 rolls out. And yes, the features that are included with the new interface require HDMI 1.4-ready cabling to handle this, already raising fears of backwards compatibility between new and legacy components.

So, let's discuss what these proposed revisions entail.

4K Resolution:

The largest issue with HDMI revisions is the fact that the impetus for the change needs to be supported by reality. In other words, if (existing feature) Deep Color is not utilized by Blu-Ray manufacturers and studios, what is the point in further
confusing the marketplace by introducing it? This question is often asked by clients when shopping for new gear. Savvy consumers don't have problems spending money; they just want to do so wisely. HDMI 1.4, with it's purported 4K resolution capability, falls into the category of "all hat, no horse." Studios all have to overhaul their equipment and methods of broadcasting, camera, telecine, and the consumer must upgrade the display to take advantage. Operating at over four times the current broadcast standard, this would create enormous financial and engineering burdens on content providers, already struggling to send out an acceptable image at 1920x1080 (in those rare cases when that resolution is fully achieved). On the consumer end, this means 1080p TVs are now going to be perceived as second-class, and Blu-Ray, which just began getting traction two years ago, looks like a passing breeze in the annals of technology.

3-D:

Something the movie studios for commercial release have been toying with is the widespread issuance of 3-D movies. Part of this is to drive consumers back into theaters, suffering since home theater offers a (potentially) better experience. Now, electronics manufacturers are starting to see the possibilities on the home front, and HDMI 1.4 is designed from the outset to support it. This might again be an issue of the tail wagging the dog, as the HDMI Consortium is pushing hardware manufacturers to generate new equipment to support a new standard. This area is especially tricky for a few reasons. First, there is no standard for 3-D tech in home displays. Second, the way in which 3-D is being discussed means that existing HDMI cables should work. What this means is that there is no guarantee that holding off on a purchase to take advantage of this feature will have any benefit, and that, with consumers' eyes facing the future, new displays offering 3-D (effectively) might pass by unnoticed.

Audio Return Channel:

Most modern receivers decode everything already. There is minimal benefit for this as we understand it today. In effect, this allows the TV to be the switching hub over the traditional method of utilizing the receiver for that function, but the concept is limited due to the fact that lossless formats are not decoded by any television known today. This eliminates 50% of the reason to use HDMI for consolidated audio and video.

Ethernet:

An interesting option that get surprisingly negative feedback in the tech press, internet connectivity in components is already a reality. Networkable televisions and Blu-Ray players already exist, with the next iteration of this allowing a potential self-contained "mini-network" amongst electronic gear. This would allow components to share internet-based data, facilitating maximum effectiveness of component interoperability (remember when HDMI 1.1 televisions and 1.2 sources didn't like to talk to one another?), customization, and possibly remote control coding options. This feature, if implemented wisely, could be an interesting addition.

HDMI as an interface has seen revisions in a seven year period of 1.0, 1.1, 1.2/1.2a, 1.3/1.3a/1.3b/1.3b1/1.3c, and 1.4 - with products possibly shipping in late 2010. Although many of these revisions incorporated capabilities that impacted few (DVD-Audio, SACD, Deep Color, etc), that did not stop the industry from introducing them, nor did it stop consumers from being confused. Although it is laudable that the consumer electronics industry persists in innovating, attempting increased cross-pollination between PCs and CE gear, and offering new features, it needs to understand that consumers like a certain comfort level. Announcing cable revisions that halt equipment purchases - especially in this economy with smaller retailers struggling already - might not prove to be wise.

Zone Audio Part Two: Sonos Bundle 150 Multiroom System

Sonos is a company that knows that multizone audio is a typically-unfriendly arena that many would love to have in their homes, but fear the cost. The Sonos 150 system is the second reviewed in the two-part series that covers easy multi-zone audio systems.

The Sonos 150 bundle is one of the most attractive systems for this application, not only due to form factor, but ease of installation. Out of the box, the 150 is offered in amplified or unamplified flavors, the latter perfect for adding to an existing system. Like the reviewed NuVo Grand Concerto system, the amplification from the Sonos 150 is designed for smaller bookshelves or in-wall/ceiling applications where high power is typically not needed nor desired. The Bundle 150 utilizes the uber-slick CR100 handheld controller, first introduced in 2005 to much fanfare. Pioneering the concept of freeing your computer's music into multiple zones of your home with control, the CR100 controller shows artist, track, and cover art information on its 3 1/2" screen - very similar to carrying a large iPod - with control over your entire music collection and (potentially) unlimited capacity. The only real limitation to this system involves range. Although the remote is allegedly capable of operation within 100' of the base, things start getting a little fussy around 60-75', and almost go away outside. This is an issue installers or DIYers should consider when discussing outdoor speakers and placement of the Sonos system.

One of the best parts about the Bundle 150 is capacity - or lack thereof. Computer hard drive storage is extremely inexpensive today, with 1TB drives available under $100. The Sonos is designed to access and amplify your music; not store it. As a result, costs can be kept down (proprietary hard drives are mysteriously still expensive on a variety of devices today, far out of proportion with standalones), capacity is as unlimited as your budget and music collection, and interface to access this collection remains familiar. The CR100 remote offers the ability to quickly access this (potentially) large library through an intuitive A-Z listing format, although the scroll wheel is not quite as nice as the near-perfect iPod version. Refreshingly, the Sonos offers the ability to play back nearly any format (except protected AAC formats, for which there are workarounds), so existing iTunes collections can remain accessible through one program. The Sonos Bundle 150 can be augmented with the ZoneBridge unit, for scenarios where wireless access is required.

Designed to potentially stand alone in a second zone, the powered ZP120 incorporates a 55WPC amplifier and built-in 80HZ crossover to add a subwoofer. This is a nice touch, and addresses the fact that these little boxes are slightly anemic in their output, unless speakers are sufficiently efficient. Adding a subwoofer takes the brunt of the hard work away from these smaller amplifiers, adding impact and dynamics where they might previously be absent. Also, any outboard device connected to the Sonos system is accessible in other zones (minus metadata of course), and both the amplified and unamplified flavors offer digital audio connectivity for hookup to receivers with potentially superior D/A converters.

With the ability to access an entire existing music collection with a minimum of fuss, and access Internet-based subscription services like Pandora, the Sonos Bundle 150 is very possibly the most focused and cost-effective zoned music system available. Although not driven through wall-mounted keypads or 15" touchscreens, the Sonos system is a compact and reasonably-powerful package that should satisfy the DIYer wanting to add great audio to his entire home.

Review: NuVo Grand Concerto Multiroom System

Multiroom audio, for those that have never dealt with such in their homes, tends to be an intimidating topic for many. Part of this reality is that certain companies have made the endeavor absurdly expensive for all but the most well-heeled, but others have noticed the market exists for affordable solutions that are easy to use. In this first of two parts featuring two such manufacturers, I review the NuVo Grand Concerto, the flagship of NuVo Technologies' offerings.

The NuVo Grand Concerto is a one-box solution that facilitates six sources, and up to eight zones. The Grand Concerto offers six of these zones amplified out of the box, with the remaining two requiring an additional two channels of external amplification (Nuvo offers the Zone Pak, which incorporates an additional amplifier and keypad). Included is the controller/amplifier, keypads, and ancillary connection cables. The best part of this system is that the keypads utilize OLED keypads that offer touch feedback and as many as eight lines of metadata. These keypads, when utilized with NuVo sources, offer the data from tuners, music servers, and iPods (wired and wireless). The system easily facilitates separate sources with full information in six different rooms with a minimum of setup pain. Offered with the keypads are three colors of bezels to match nearly any decor.

Installation, unlike many other multiroom servers, do not require a professional programmer and permanent tethering to a specialty audio dealer. In fact, NuVo prides itself on initial ease of installation, and has some of the best tech support in the sector. The NuVo system only requires specialized programming equipment and software (and the associated dealer) when incorporating new, non-NuVo infared codes. This is a minor issue, and from experience, the software is easy enough to use that it allows dealers to be competitive in programming cost. The system in fact will ask the user to which inputs the other NuVo components are connected. New users and households with children and spirited teens will appreciate the ability to set the initial turn-on and maximum volume levels to prevent damage and, more importantly, potential annoyance. Other potential parental and convenience features include the password-protected ability to not only prioritize certain sources to certain zones, but also to restrict which sources are routed to which areas. Each keypad offers an IR passthrough for situations where the original remote is needed or preferred, and can be selectively disabled. In addition, any non-NuVo sources can still be controlled via connected IR flashers, although metadata from these sources will not be conveyed to the OLED keypads.

As with any system, there are some drawbacks. Some are minor, some are frustrating, some are merely inconvenient. NuVo's fall into the latter category. Although supporting iPods (a neccessary thing), transferring music into the Grand Concerto's MV-M3 Music Server only facilitates transfers from libraries incorporated into Windows Media Server 11. In other words, libraries will probably be synced from iTunes to an iPod deployed with the NuVo system, but the reminder of the content will have to be loaded from another program. Although (in theory) this has to be done only once, the lack of a built-in CD drive on the NV-M3 means that content must be duplicated across iTunes and WM11 when adding new content. Happily, the Grand Concerto allows WAV (uncompressed CD) files to be dropped into the system for critical listeners. Those more-finicky types with quality audio systems will also choose to utilize better amplification than what the Grand Concerto provides, as the 40WPC incorporated into the system can be a little anemic under load. In fact, anything other than background music listeners will probably choose to do likewise.

In short, the NuVo Grand Concerto system is an easy-to-use, attractive, and compact system that is extremely DIY friendly. NuVo constantly offers revisions and software updates, and stays on top of customer suggestions and quickly fields the few complaints levied their direction. As it stands, the Grand Concerto, as the most expensive offering from Nuvo Technologies, still remains an incredible value.

Review: Canon VIXIA HF200 Camcorder

Like many new parents requiring ways to archive and document the arrival of a new bundle of joy, one of the gaps in technology in our home was a camcorder. Naturally, in this day, and given the author's propensities, only a high definition camera would do. Canon, one of the leaders in consumer and professional imaging, has created an easy to use and powerful device in the VIXIA series HF200.

About the size of a small can of Red Bull, the Canon HF200 utilizes a 2.5" viewfinder for most of the control. A small, pocket-sized remote is supplied, but the author advises learning precisely what the remote does prior to using it. Through this display, users can select everything from bit rate (ranging from 24Mbps to 5Mbps), fade wipes, imaging effects, and auto-correction controls. Selections require the use of a small "jog stick" and a series of small buttons beneath the screen. Although not touchscreen, the control is intuituve (even for a non-techy), and employs a convenient swivel. The side of the unit deploys a padded hand strap that is marginally adjustable, but is snug enough to facilitate decent peace of mind. Jacks offer mini-HDMI (not supplied - come on Canon), component video (supplied), and power. A small dial on the upper right hand side allows users to switch between film, still, or a combination of the two. Using the combo will reduce image quality slightly, but may be needed for convenience.

One of the interesting features of the device is the use of SDHC cards (not included - again, come on). Appearing identical to a standard SD card, these offer far higher bit rates and transfer speeds than standard. Although potentially expensive, these cards, unlike tape, do not wear out with anywhere near the rapidity of conventional digital tape, and are of course far more convenient to carry in multiples. Depending on the size of the card, users can select (like good old-fashioned tape) the tradeoff between image quality and recording duration. Generally speaking, in considering that HDTVs that this will probably be connected to max out at just over the equivalent of two megapixels, I've found that the 12Mbps supplies a suitable compromise. At this setting, users can record approximately three hours of footage; truthfully, this should outlast the battery. Filming begins with an ergonomically-effective silver button. One note of caution here - red means go, and green means stop. My wife stumbled across this interesting anomaly one day, assuming she was recording because she saw a green light. The opposite was true. One small complaint about the button layout is that the zoom and photo buttons are placed on top of the camera, and apparently operate under the assumption that the user's digits are shorter than normal. This is a small quibble that is quickly adjusted to. Overall, it's a good thing that the camera has a short learning curve, because most new owners will find themselves more challenged by the manual than the device itself.

What matters beyond specs and features is image quality, and the Canon delivers. Exhibiting typical Canon quality, the lens is sufficient to bring this one camera along if one can tolerate a meager 3.89MP still shot in this era of compact 12MP cameras (although, at least in this case, one doesn't have to question the optics). It is a versatile device that allows fantastic, film-like videos at the highest-possible bit rate that SDHC supports at 24Mbps, and stunning stills that belie the relatively low megapixel count (for a still camera). Although low light can trip up this camera (like most with a smaller lens), facial recognition is fantastic and overall, is not as grainy as some outlets have reported (engaging Cinema Mode can help reduce any grainy effects by essentially deploying an unsharp mask.)

Now on to the bad part of the package - the software. My machine is not the most powerful, but the software, after one overcomes the inherent clunkiness of the interface, eats computers for lunch. To verify that my issues weren't simply a signal that my machine needed some key upgrades, I brought the camera to a good friend who is utilizing a two-year old HP with 4Gb of RAM and 160GB of hard drive space. The software was equally as choppy on (attempted) playback here as at home. Understanding that Canon is not a software company is small consolation, when one is attempting to piece together footage that's tough to review prior to finalizing. Blu-Ray users do not want to experiement with coaster making when attempting to burn HD content, although DVD users may be braver while engaging in a little on-the-job training. The author recommends utilizing a program that can actually edit AVCHD in real-time like Vegas. The enclosed software is OK only because it's (presumably) free.

All-in-all, this is a great camcorder. Canon's smallest and lightest offering in the category, the HF200 provides great ergonomics with typical excellent picture quality. Keep in mind that you will be frustrated by the enclosed software, but beyond that, Canon once again has a success.

Review: Rotel RSX-1560

Rotel has always been one of those little secrets in audio, especially if you don't have a specialist audio dealer in town. Part of the Bowers and Wilkins group, Rotel combines British audio tuning aesthetic with quality Japanese manufacturing tolerances; a dream-team combination in the audio world.

Rotel, like many audio companies that do not traditionally play in the mass market, was a little late to the dance in incorporating HDMI 1.3 specs into their receivers and processors. Operating under the reasoning that they would rather make the change once and get it right, Rotel has succeeded in bringing lossless HDMI audio functionality to their products, while incorporating traditional Rotel performance and build quality that followers have come to expect. In late 2008, Rotel came to market with their renovated 15 Series, models that not only changed the outward appearance of the equipment, but also added Ice Power amplification inside. Utilizing a switching transformer design, Rotel's amplifier stages successfully combine low heat output, high drive capability, and seem to enjoy low impedances. Class D topology appeals to the green crowd due to this high efficiency, and when a manufacturer with a pedigree like Rotel can extract performance as exhibited by the 1560 while keeping energy consumption low, it's an audiophile and Rotel PR dream. Dropping an amplifier stage such as this into an A/V receiver priced around two grand immediately raises the bar for their competitors, and serves to change the perception that some still hold that Class-D amplification is meant only for subwoofer applications.

Let's get what this receiver doesn't do out of the way first, since that's bound to be a hot topic for conversation. The RSX-1560 eschews automatic room correction, and there a couple reasons for this. First, Rotel asserts that automatic room correction possesses as many flaws as it does solutions. Rotel's position is that room correction should be handled by acousticians and calibrators, a position which Rotel's dealers would heartily agree. Rotel insists that the cost involved by including this feature would be counterproductive, a feature best left to receivers sold in mass-market arenas where professional calibrators are undoubtedly absent. One thing about the RSX-1560 that's a little disappointing is that, although the HDMI inputs flawlessly handle DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD codecs from Blu-Ray sources, SACD is not. Rotel insists that the best way to connect (and only, in this case) SACD sources to the unit is via the multichannel analog input bank on the back panel. A small issue, but one has to wonder how expensive or difficult this inclusion would have been. Also, The 1560 doesn't address things like on-screen displays for iPods, or have a glitzy OSD of any type. This is refreshing to many of us that would rather see the price of consumer electronics influenced by performance, not gloss.

Now that the negativity is behind us, we can get to the RSX-1560's strengths, and there are many. A top priority for any updated receiver today is lossless audio performance, and the Rotel comes through in spades. Lossless audio from Blu-Ray is punchy, enveloping, and emotionally involving. Rotel utilizes the high drive, low impedance capability of Ice Power amplification with a silky yet dynamic tone that is never bright, and seemingly always under complete control. CD sound is never strident, even on recordings that traditionally have been such. This isn't to say that the Rotel is somehow coloring or masking things; rather that it isn't adding any harshness to the top end that isn't already there. Torture tests such as the tried-and-true Lenny Kravitz album Are You Gonna Go My Way exhibited this effect, making the CD much more listenable, while retaining the gritty analog effect that's a trademark of the album. On Blu-Ray, Terminator: Salvation was a dynamic powerhouse, with the Rotel exhibiting fantastic control, and allowing my Paradigm Studio 40v.2 speakers to do their best subwoofer impersonation. Despite the abundance of steel, the soundscape was never ear-piercing in any way.

Rotel has again succeeded in making a receiver sound so close to separates as to nearly make the debate moot. Considering that Ice Power amplifiers outboard of a receiver can cost nearly as much as the RSX-1560, Rotel has successfully combined value with performance once again. Additionally, they can legitimately make the claim that with their iteration of Ice Power amplifier technology, they can rock the house without shaking loose the polar ice caps.

Praise for Uverse

Like so many other gearheads that have to try new stuff, we had ATT@T's Uverse service installed this past week. Our decision was also spurred along by repeated DirecTV equipment failures, problematic service issues, and the fact that we occasionally like to watch TV when it rains.

Install was a breeze, requiring only a phone line (to get the signal into the house). One CAT5 runs to the HDDVR downstairs, and another runs to a central residential gateway (fancy name for a modem). We used existing coax in the house to feed the other two TVs.

This service is really slick. Since each STB is essentially a media server device, all three boxes share information. That means anything recorded on the main DVR downstairs can be viewed on any of the other TVs. Although only the downstairs STB does the actual recording, any box can add programs to record, and any can play back recordings. Also, all three are HD-ready (with HDMI) out of the box. Interestingly, HD recordings are downconverted to the two analog sets we still have, providing excellent PQ on non-HD displays. Also, since most HD broadcasts carry a Dolby Digital audio stream, that remains intact on secondary TVs. Very cool.

Media Share is a recent function on the STBs that allow them to pull information from your computer (such as pictures, music, and videos, although I only do pix), and show them with intact folder naming on all three displays. My Xbox360 can do this, but slower, and I don't have one in each room.

As I type this, I'm running on 3Mb download/1Mb upload, also from Uverse. Internet and TV is allocated, so usage elsewhere in the home is not parasitic (in other words, if all three TVs are showing something, the internet doesn't slow down). I'm contemplating moving to 6Mb for only $5 more a month, for a total of $35. That's less (surprise) than what 4Mb cost us from Charter.

Essentially, with three TVs with DVR functionality and broadband will save us about $30 monthly vs the DirecTV/Charter combo we've been running for the past four years. For this, we receive excellent reliability, increased media sharing functionality, and superior DVR. I can recommend this to anyone that has access to the service. Call AT@T if you've been less-than-satisfied with your existing setup.